Like Children

But Jesus said, “Let the children come to me. Don’t stop them! For the Kingdom of Heaven belongs to those who are like these children.” Matthew 19:4

I’ve been reading Anne of Green Gables to my 9 year old girl Olivia recently and we’ve arrived at the part where Anne has been told that she can stay at Green Gables permanently. Marilla finds Anne in the good sitting room where she has been sent to fetch a prayer card (so she can learn how to pray properly!!) – but she gets caught up staring at a picture on the sitting room wall entitled “Christ Blessing Little Children”. She explains her fascination with it to Marilla:

“and I was just imagining I was one of them–that I was the little girl in the blue dress, standing off by herself in the corner as if she didn’t belong to anybody, like me. She looks lonely and sad, don’t you think? I guess she hadn’t any father or mother of her own. But she wanted to be blessed, too, so she just crept shyly up on the outside of the crowd, hoping nobody would notice her–except Him. I’m sure I know just how she felt. Her heart must have beat and her hands must have got cold, like mine did when I asked you if I could stay. She was afraid He mightn’t notice her. But it’s likely He did, don’t you think? I’ve been trying to imagine it all out–her edging a little nearer all the time until she was quite close to Him; and then He would look at her and put His hand on her hair and oh, such a thrill of joy as would run over her! But I wish the artist hadn’t painted Him so sorrowful looking. All His pictures are like that, if you’ve noticed. But I don’t believe He could really have looked so sad or the children would have been afraid of Him.”

“Anne,” said Marilla, wondering why she had not broken into this speech long before, “you shouldn’t talk that way. It’s irreverent–positively irreverent.””

Anne is one for an honest and forthright observation and this one speaks volumes. Here we have a child’s pure heartfelt response to the Jesus in front of her. A response that captures Christ’s love and our human longing in one and before she has been taught any of the structured prayers or proper reverence that Marilla is determined to instill.

And isn’t it where we all started, isn’t it where we still are somedays. Hanging back, unsure, wanting to come close and wondering will He notice, will He see, not sure its us He’s calling- maybe its the one beside and are we good enough to come. And maybe we think we need to be different to who we are to be noticed, to be pulled close into His arms. And we are conscience of our ragged clothing and unkept life. But His kindness draws us, the hope of Him draws us – – -our pain and longing draw us.

And there He is – arms wide open, heart laid bare, His eyes upon us, poised to embrace us, His whole life a mission to embrace us and His eyes fixed firmly on us.

No longer orphans, no longer alone, no longer unseen.

This God who makes the weak strong and the last first. Who claims as His prized possession the least of us, the ones at the back, just edging in closer.

He sees.

So much of life would convince us otherwise, it would shout us down and tell us our all and our best and the very fibre of us isn’t enough.

But we have this sure and steady hope that bypasses earth and places us right in His presence. We have Jesus beckoning, we have One who sees.

“We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters into the inner place behind the curtain,where Jesus has gone as a forerunner on our behalf – – – ” Hebrews 6:19-20

We make it all too complicated, this faith of ours. Our learning and our trying to do things right and proper all the time can get in the way of seeing Jesus.

Jesus makes it simple – just come as you are – like children, who are too young to know the proper way of doing things or the proper way to speak to God. Like children who gravitate towards love without talking themselves out of it. Children who let their heart lead, who ask awkward questions and tell heart truth and even if they are full of fears they still come because they don’t want to miss out.

– – – For the Kingdom of Heaven belongs to those who are like these children.” Matthew 19:4

It belongs to those who come simply like children.

It belongs to those who just come and hang around His feet – where there is mercy and forgiveness, peace and belonging, hope, a new start.

It belongs to those who come as they are. So bring your broken pieces, your questions, your hopes and dreams and your open heart.